Windermere Family Update

Yesterday, we had our first Hawk Huddle. I absolutely LOVE and cherish this time with our students. Below, I have included information about Hawk Huddles and what they are, and their purpose. Our work this year will focus on understanding the five mindsets. Make sure you ask your child(ren) about their Hawk Huddle.

Daily, I get to visit and participate in morning meetings. This 20 minute “meeting” brings me so much joy listening to our students spend time with each other strengthening their classroom family dynamic. Each Morning Meeting includes a greeting, a sharing time, an activity and a morning message. Oftentimes, each component is tied to a grade level’s respective curriculum. Our students love this time. If you haven’t yet, make sure you ask your child about their morning meeting.

I wish each of you a great weekend.

Julie

Did you know that a group of Hawks is called a huddle, hence, the name HAWK HUDDLES! This week, we had our first Hawk Huddle with kindergarten through fifth graders. Every staff member at Windermere is helping to make these six huddles this year a success. Our focus this year is on understanding the five mindsets. Huddles are composed of students from multiple grade levels, and these groups will be the same all year and from year to year.

Our first mindset focus is on empathy. Empathy is the ability to feel how another person is feeling and imagine what it would be like in another’s position. We learned that empathy is feeling someone else’s feelings inside your own heart. It is seeking to understand and connect with others. When we use empathy, it helps us to be kind. We learned that kindness is like a muscle. It can be strengthened with practice. We have to stop and notice what kindness looks like, sounds like, and feels like so that we ourselves can practice it. What we practice regularly becomes a habit.

One strategy to try at home is to ask your child each night at dinner or at bedtime, “What did you do that was kind today?” If they are unable to come up with something, help them make a plan of something kind they can do for the next day. We talked about how even small acts such as smiling at others, saying thank you, or including friends can fill buckets and spread good feelings. Reading fiction together is also a great way to flex your empathy muscles. Stop and discuss how characters might be feeling throughout a book you are reading together. Ask your child to identify why a character might be feeling a certain way.

Parent links

http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/09/health/parent-acts-teaching-kids-empathy/index.html

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/samantha-rodman-phd/how-to-teach-kids-empathy_b_12673540.html

https://www.parentingscience.com/teaching-empathy-tips.html

https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu/files/gse-mcc/files/empathy.pdf

The theme for the lesson is "Hitting the Target".

- Students can set a goal and break it into smaller steps to reach my goal.

Students will be...

- Participating in team building and skill building activities OUTSIDE!

- Students will rotate as a group through five stations.

- 1) Archery, 2) Archery, 3) Juggling, 4) Jump rope, 5) 9-Square

Thursday, October 3rd

6:30-7:30pm

Tremont Elementary Cafeteria

Please join us for our Multilingual Parent Information Night!

Come and learn more about the ML program! We will discuss a variety of topics, and provide resources related to school and the Upper Arlington community. In addition, we hope this event provides an opportunity for families to connect.

If you will be bringing your child, we will have quiet activities for them to do during the event.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your ML Teacher (see below.)

Please RVSP using the Google Form here: https://forms.gle/H9GrxTfuBWD7bAnj8

Cynthia Redman, Tremont

(credman@uaschools.org)

Anjali Das, Wickliffe, Windermere, and Barrington

(adas@uaschools.org)

Mary Ann Dunn, Greensview

(madunn@uaschools.org)

Please label your students sweatshirts, water bottles, lunches, etc. so we can return them if they get lost. Our lost and found is beside the office and starting to fill up, please remind your students to check for lost items. We donate all items during winter break, spring break and the end of the school year.

The UACS Technology department provides 2 ways for caregivers to manage screen time, review web history, manage apps and internet access after school hours. The typical built-in Apple ScreenTime and Parental controls do not work because the district manages iPads for school use at a district level - the typical consumer level settings are not available. Caregivers can review web activity and disable internet access through the Lightspeed Relay Parent Portal. Additionally, caregivers can control app access and set rules through the JAMF Parent app. Questions may be directed to FamilyTechHelp@uaschools.org.

Any prescription medication administered at school requires written authorization from the student’s physician as well as written parental permission. Per Ohio Revised Code, the Prescribed Medication must be received by the health office in the container in which it was dispensed by the provider or pharmacist (we cannot accept medication in baggies). Medication authorization forms and other health forms can be found on the district website at: UA Health Forms. Should you have any questions, please contact the Windermere Health Office at 614-487-5060.

Please refer to this arrival and dismissal doc for guidelines on keeping everyone safe during our drop off and pick up times.

Please email windermereattendance@uaschools.org along with your child’s teacher, any student absences. For extended absences (vacations, travel, etc.) please submit a pre-planned absence form. For more information on the district attendance policy, please visit the district's attendance web page. For all medical appointments, please provide a doctor’s note.